The Quest
by Sirens And Muses
Summary: After 'eating' Raine's tacos the group starts a new quest: to do all those crazy kid things Presea missed out on. Rated T for Zelos content.
1. Food Fight

**Siren: Good news, everyone! This is the first story we've written that has no mention of Kratos in it, except for the author's notes!**

**Muse: Please panic in an orderly fashion. Disclaimer!**

**(poof) Alphonse Elric: Huh? How'd I get here? Brother!**

**Siren: Oh, god...I hate your voice. It gives me a headache. Say the disclaimer.**

**Alphonse: No!**

**Muse: (pulls out kitten) How about now?**

**Alphonse: KITTYKITTYKITTY! Okay, Sirens & Muses don't own ToS, FMA, or this kitty. This kitty is mine. Mine, I tell you! (poof)**

**Siren: Review, please!**

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It began at dinner one night. Raine had made them her version of tacos, which for reasons unknown, included peanut butter, octopus, and chopped-up pasta mixed together with an unidentifiable paste. It was completely inedible.

Which was why Lloyd decided to throw his at Genis.

And miss.

"Ack! Lloyd!" Sheena scraped the gooey taco guts from her neck. "Gross!"

Zelos howled with laughter. "Nice one, bud!" He was treated to a slap across the face with Sheena's messy hand.

"Honestly!" Raine said angrily, "If you don't want to eat it, just say so!"

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't squish this thing in your hair!" Sheena snapped at Zelos. Without waiting for his reason, she slammed the disgusting food onto his head.

"Hey!" the Chosen sputtered. "Not nice! What are you laughing at, brat?" he snarled at Genis, who'd toppled over with laughter.

"You all are acting childish!" Raine shouted, trying to control the situation. She was too late, however, as Zelos had taken the opportunity to shove his taco down the back of Genis' shirt.

"Lloyd started it!" Genis accused, trying to wipe food off his back.

"Ah, hey, no!" Lloyd took off, running as Sheena, Zelos, Genis, and Colette all chased him.

"Colette! You didn't even get hit!" he yelled back.

"Oh, I know!" she said excitedly. "But I love food fights! They're so much fun!"

"What…is a food fight?" Presea asked.

The entire party fell silent. Everyone who'd been chasing Lloyd moments ago, as well as Raine and Regal, stopped to stare at the pink-haired girl.

"You mean to tell me," Lloyd asked slowly, "That you're at least twelve years old, and you've never had a food fight?"

Presea tilted her head. "No. My mother and father were very strict. I was raised to eat food, not throw it."

"Presea is absolutely correct," Raine said, though half-heartedly. She had never heard of a child who hadn't thrown food, either. "Maybe you guys will have more appreciation for food if I send you to bed without dinner."

"Thank Martel," Genis mumbled.

Lloyd, however, was not deterred. "You've seriously never had a food fight, Presea?"

"I'm afraid not. It doesn't look like I missed anything."

"You missed everything!" the swordsman said. "It's a ton of fun. Watch, just throw your taco at someone."

"Lloyd," Regal began, "I don't think you should teach her such childish-"

He was cut off as a peanut butter-octopus-pasta taco smacked the side of his face.

"…things," he finished, trying to clean his face.

"Uh, Presea," Lloyd said, eyes wide. "I didn't mean throw it at Regal."

"You did not specify."

"You're supposed to throw it at someone who'll throw it back," Colette explained cheerfully.

"…Why?" Presea questioned. "I don't want to get messy."

"But that's the whole point!" Lloyd said. "You do it to get sticky and gooey and messy and to do the same to your friends."

Presea was silent for moment before turning to Regal. "Are you finished with your taco?"

"…Yes," he said, standing and heading over to the other side of the clearing. Raine, with a resigned sigh, followed him.

Presea picked the taco up and looked around at the younger part of the group. "Lloyd."

"Yeah?"

"…You started it." The taco hit him squarely on the top of his head, sending goop down his face and through his hair.

"Yech!" Lloyd shook his head like a dog, sending slop all over his friends.

"Ew!" Sheena picked up another taco, sending it flying in Lloyd's direction. He caught it, dripping the insides all over his hand, then sent it flying in Presea's direction.

It hit her directly in the face. The entire group went silent again, waiting for her reaction. She gently touched her face, examining the substance, before a slight smile formed behind the curtain of food-turned-ammunition.

"Nice!" Zelos hooted. "My little hunny smiled again. That makes, what, four times?"

"This is…fun," Presea stated. Then she scraped off a handful of goop and threw it at Colette.

"I'm glad you're having fun!" The blonde girl playfully picked up her dinner and tossed it at Sheena, who scraped some off and threw it back.

"Ha! Come on, you guys, I bet you can't catch me!" Lloyd took off again, this time followed by Presea as well.

By the time the carnage ended, everyone was a mess. Lloyd, through the collaborated efforts of Zelos and Genis, ended up with three of the extra tacos Raine had made shoved down the front of his pants. In retaliation, Lloyd had called upon Colette to dump some more of the extra tacos from directly above. In the mix, she'd also gotten both Sheena and Presea, who took the rest of the tacos and simply threw them at anyone within range.

The battle ended only when there was no more food to be thrown. The group collapsed, laughing and talking, near Raine and Regal.

"Well," Raine said stiffly, "I'm glad to see my food was used for a good cause."

"Oh, don't worry, Professor!" Colette said brightly. "Just think, this is the first dinner you've made that we didn't have any leftovers."

While Raine tried to accept the fact that she was a terrible chef, Lloyd turned to Presea. "So, did you like your first food fight?"

She smiled. "Yes, very much."

"What else haven't you done, my tiny flower?" Zelos asked. "I would be glad to give you lessons anytime you like, on anything." Sheena smacked him.

Presea gave him a blank look. "If I've never done it, how would I know what it was?"

"Good point," Sheena said. "Let's see…have you ever had a snowball fight?"

"Ozette doesn't get much snow," Presea said.

"How about dodgeball?" Lloyd suggested. "Or kickball?"

She shook her head.

"Ooh, I know! Have you ever built a fort?" Colette asked excitedly. "When we were little, we used to make forts out of pillows and blankets!"

"No."

"You had to have climbed trees, right?" Zelos said. "Ozette's full of them!"

"…Once. To pick some fruit."

"Uh-huh." Zelos raised his eyebrows. "You didn't have much of a childhood, did you?"

"There were many chores to be done. We had to clean and weed the garden, then we had to get water from the well. After that, I had to go babysit our neighbors. Then my mother died," Presea said quietly, "And I had to take her place in our house. There was little time for games."

"Hey!" Genis said suddenly. "I-I have an idea!"

"Speak up, brat," Zelos said. "We don't have all day."

"Stop calling me that!" the half-elf snapped. "We should do all those things. For Presea, so she can make up for her lost time!"

"That's a great idea, Genis!" Colette said. "We can have another quest!"

"Sounds good to me," Sheena said.

"Actually," Zelos admitted. "It's not a half-bad idea. We'll make my sweet little hunny smile some more!"

"It's settled, then!" Lloyd said, grinning. "We'll go on a quest for all the fun things Presea hasn't done."

Raine rolled her eyes. "Honestly, we're on a journey to save the world. Do you really think we have time for such immature things?"

"It won't be a big deal!" Colette said. "Just things to do that are fun! Don't you want us to have fun, Professor?"

"Of course I do, but..." Raine sighed in defeat. "Fine. But remember, the seals come first. And if it gets too out of hand, I'll make sure the only fun thing you do is study."

"We should make a list," Sheena suggested. "So that we have a goal of what we want to do."

"Good idea!" Lloyd said. He rummaged through his pack and pulled out a pencil and crumpled up piece of paper.

"Isn't that last weeks math assignment?" Genis asked. Lloyd ignored him and jotted down the things they'd already mentioned before turning to Presea.

"Okay, first thing's first. Presea, is there anything you want to do really badly?"

"…At the beach in Altamira," she said, "I saw a group of children building a house of sand. I would…like to try that once."

"House of sand…? Oh! Sand castles!" Lloyd snapped his fingers. "Right, 'build sand castles' at the top of the list. Anything else?"

"I cannot think of anything. What are everyone else's ideas?"

"Well," Zelos said, winking. "You totally can't go through childhood without skinny dipping. I know for a fact that our voluptuous ninja has gone on a couple of midnight swims herself."

"You creep!" Sheena blushed a deep red and slapped him, while Lloyd scribbled down 'skinny dipping'. She glared at him. "Lloyd! Do you even know what skinny dipping is?"

He shrugged. "Nope. But if Zelos thinks it's fun, we should try it, right?"

"No…no! Lloyd, skinny dipping is…oh, never mind. Just ignore anything he suggests, alright?"

"Ooh!" Colette raised her hand. "I know! Presea, have you ever flown a kite?" The younger girl shook her head.

"Good idea!" Lloyd wrote it down. "Do you know what I used to do when I was younger? I'd sneak out my window and just walk around town."

"Bud, I hate to tell you, but that's boring," Zelos said. "Oh, well, I guess country bumpkins with nothing to do-"

"Don't call us bumpkins!" Lloyd interjected. "It's actually a lot of fun. It's really cool to know that you're the only one awake, and that you're seeing stuff no one else is."

"…I think I would enjoy a late night walk," Presea said. Lloyd gave her a thumbs-up and wrote it down.

"In Mizuho," Sheena said, "Some of the little kids would get together and roll down the hill on their backs, like they were logs."

"'Roll down hill,'" Lloyd repeated, writing it down. "Cool. Genis, what about you?"

"Back in Iselia," he said, "We used to play a game called Ghost In The Graveyard. Do you remember that, Lloyd?"

"Oh, yeah! I loved that game."

"Ghost In The Graveyard?" Sheena frowned. "Never heard of it."

"It's kind of like hide and seek," Lloyd explained. "The person who's the ghost goes out and hides, and the rest of the people start to walk around. The ghost has to jump out and tag the people, who become ghosts, too. Whoever gets tagged last wins."

"Sounds like fun," Zelos said. Presea nodded, so Lloyd jotted it down.

"Excuse me," Raine said loudly. "I hate to break up your important meeting, but you need to get to bed. We have an early start tomorrow."

Lloyd folded the paper and stuffed it in his pocket. "Okay, guys, we'll finish this tomorrow."

While they all started to pull out their sleep pads, Presea hesitated.

"What's wrong, Presea?" Genis asked. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Thank you all…for what you are doing."

Colette clapped her hands together. "Don't mention it! We're friends, after all."

"Ye-yeah!" Genis said. "Presea, you're a-"

"Get to bed!" Raine screamed. "Now!"

No one spoke another word.


	2. Sandcastle Adventures

**Siren: Well, this is embarrassing.**

**Muse: Yeah...it's only been...two years...**

**Siren:...**

**Muse:...**

**Together: We're sorry!**

**Siren: So, chapter two! Yeah! Excitement! Whoo!**

**Muse: Also, thanks to Neox-chan, for having awesome ideas. ****Wedgie War is now added to the list. ****You deserve a cookie. (pulls out a cookie)**

**Siren: You know, you're all awesome. Everyone gets a cookie!**

**(poof) Oprah: You get a cookie, and you get a cookie! EVERYBODY GETS A COOKIE! Also, Sirens & Muses don't own ToS or me.**

**Muse: Yeah, pretty sure Oprah actually owns us.**

**Siren: Oprah owns everything. Review please!**

**Oprah: And you get a review, and you get a review! **

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"Finally!" Lloyd said, stretching. "I thought I'd never see solid land again. My legs feel like Jello."

"It is nice to be able to relax for once," Colette said happily. "Look, a seagull!"

The rest of the group trooped behind Lloyd and Colette, stretching and yawning as they clambered off their rheairds. They had just arrived at Altamira, to rest up before making the next pact. Lloyd took a deep breath, smelling the warm sea air. "Professor, can we go to the amusement park?"

Zelos snorted. "Come on, Bud, the place to go is the beach! All those hot babes in skimpy swimsuits…" He sighed contentedly while Sheena rolled her eyes.

Genis cleared his throat. "Hey, while we're here, why don't we work on P-Presea's list?"

Colette gasped. "That's right! We haven't done anything to complete the quest yet!"

"All right!" Lloyd grinned. "Presea, how about it? You wanted to build sandcastles, right?"

Presea smiled lightly. "I…would like that."

Once inside the resort, Regal went off to speak to George about the company's business; Raine followed suit, claiming that she needed to find a book in the Lezareno building. The younger part of the group headed for the beach, armed with plastic shovels and buckets.

"All right," Lloyd said, taking the lead immediately. "The trick to building a sandcastle is to keep it simple. Smaller castles will hold up better."

Zelos snorted. "No way. Bigger is always better. Presea, listen to me. You wanna go with glamorous, intricate castles, fit for a king."

"Don't forget the moat!" Colette said cheerfully. "Every sandcastle needs a moat, with water in it. Ooh, and crocodiles! You need cute little crocs to put in your moat! Sharks, too!"

"I don't think we'll be able to find crocodiles or sharks here, Colette," Sheena said. "I always made mine with a lot of details. You know, furniture and stuff like that."

"Presea, why don't you, um, try it yourself?" Genis said. "It is your quest, after all."

"I do not know how," she answered.

"Well, let's get the basics down." Lloyd picked up a pail. "First thing we need is wet sand. You just pack it into the bucket, and turn it upside down, and…" He lifted his bucket to reveal a mound of sand that immediately fell down.

"Ha!" Zelos picked up his own bucket. "Sorry, Lloyd. Now, watch and learn from Zelos, the Master Swordsman of Everything." He packed sand in and flipped it over. "The trick is to do it fast, so that it doesn't fall down." He whipped off the bucket. The sand stuck to the bucket, leaving Zelos shaking the bucket until it fell out.

"Master, huh?" Sheena said. "Wow, I'm so impressed. Buckets are for amateurs, Presea. A real sand-builder uses their shovel and their hands." She began to mold a wall of sand around Zelos' small pile.

"Sheena's right," Colette said. "And moats! Moats have to be dug by hand." She began digging furiously in the sand.

"Uh…Colette?" Genis said. "Maybe the moat should come last."

"Why?" she inquired.

Presea pointed to the mound of sand. "There is no castle to protect."

"But we have to!" Colette said fiercely. "We need a moat to protect the people building the castle!"

"Um, Colette?" Sheena said cautiously. "You do know it's not really a castle, right?"

Colette ignored her, instead heading off towards the water with a chirpy, "Need to fill it!"

"Do you ever get the feeling that Colette's on a different wavelength than the rest of us?" Zelos asked.

"…" Presea tilted her head. "This does not look like a castle."

"Um, well, it's not done yet." Lloyd picked up his bucket again. "Here, we'll build another tower." He attempted to do so, but it once again fell apart. "See, we need more water to keep it together."

As if on cue, Colette arrived with her pail full of water. "Here you go, Lloyd!" She then dumped it into the moat, which overflowed and flooded the 'castle'.

"Wow," Genis said sarcastically, looking at the wet mound of sand. "It's beautiful. A master piece."

"Hey, brat, I don't see you building any piece of art," Zelos snapped. "Why don't you show us your wonderful ability?"

"Okay," he answered cheerfully. "Here, Presea, I need your help. Grab your bucket."

He led Presea towards the shore and started to dip his bucket into the very edge of the water. "What's he doing?" Sheena asked as they watched Presea follow suit.

The duo returned, with pails full of very, very wet sand. They plopped down and Genis started instructing. "Okay, so you have to press the sand down really hard so that it stays together. Then, flip it like Lloyd did."

"And pull it off?" she asked.

Genis shook his head. "Tap the sides with your shovel." She did as he said. "Now slowly pull it straight up."

Both he and Presea lifted the pails at the same time to reveal two perfectly shaped, compact sand towers.

"Whoa!" Zelos said. "Who knew the brat had skills?"

"Wow, Genis!" Colette said, as he stacked a smaller tower on top of his first one. "You're really good!"

Genis started to mold sand around the castle, carving out windows and designs on the towers. Presea watched him, while Colette began to dig another moat around them. Zelos started making more towers, following Genis' example. Sheena packed sand in between the towers, shaping a bridge with her hands. Lloyd stood back for a moment, thinking, and snapped his fingers. "I know what this needs!" He pulled a stick and a piece of seaweed out of the sand and fashioned a flag for the top of the towers.

"Good thinking, Lloyd!" Colette said happily. She started to collect seashells and made a fence of them around her moat. "A wall, like in Meltokio!"

They kept building the castle, making it bigger and better. Finally, Genis stepped back and dusted off his hands. "We're finished!" he cheered.

"…Wait." Presea pulled out a small pocket knife. "I will decorate it, since I did not help build it."

"Of course!" Genis said enthusiastically. "What are you going to do?"

"..." She didn't answer, but kept carving into the sand while her friends watched, fascinated. When she finishes, she stood up and smiled lightly. "Protection charms."

"Wait!" Colette said suddenly. "We didn't fill the moat!"

"Ah, I'll do it, my sweet little angel," Zelos said hastily, remembering her last moat. He splashed into the water with a bucket and scooped up some seawater. "Check it out! The Great Zelos even caught you some fish for your moat!" He poured the water into the moat, where the fish swam around.

"Thank you so much, Zelos!" Colette leaned down and started to pet the fish.

"P-P-Presea, do you like to swim?" Genis stuttered.

"I have never been to the ocean."

"Well, then, let's go!" Lloyd ran for the water, followed by Zelos and Sheena. "Come on, you guys! The water's great!"

Colette said, "I can't wait!" and took off after the others.

"…Genis, do you like to swim?" Presea asked.

"Y-ye-ye-" Genis swallowed. "…Yes. Let's go."

The group played in the water for a while. Sheena got a game of Marco Polo going until Lloyd got bored and tried to dunk Zelos. After that, it devolved into a splash fight, which Genis won with Tidal Wave. By that time, the sun was starting to go down. Panting, wet, and tired, the group collapsed in the sand, laughing.

"This is great," Lloyd said cheerfully. "We never get to have fun like this."

"Yeah, and I never get to see cute beach babes," Zelos said, peering over his sunglasses. Sheena rolled her eyes.

"For once, can you stop thinking about girls?"

"Nope." The redhead stood up and stretched before heading to the juice bar, towards a girl in a bikini. The group sat and chatted, playing in the sand for a while. Finally, Zelos walked back over to them, grinning and waving at girls as he passed them. "Beach floozies are the best." He leaned back and sighed contentedly, closing his eyes.

A large shadow suddenly loomed over them. Lloyd grabbed Zelos' arm. "Uh, Zelos?"

"What is it, bud?" Zelos said, eyes still closed.

"Zelos!" he hissed, nudging his friend. "Open your eyes!"

"What?" Zelos pulled off his sunglasses to see a very large, very angry man glaring down at him.

"Did you just hit on my girlfriend?" He pointed to the girl at the bar.

"Whoa, hey, I didn't do anything," Zelos said hastily. "Just a little harmless flirting, you know."

"Do you know what I do to guys who hit on my girlfriend?" He cracked his knuckles threateningly.

"Hey, we don't want to fight," Lloyd said.

"Shut up, freak," the man snarled. "Or I'll beat your face to a pulp."

"Don't talk to Lloyd that way!" Genis said angrily. "He's ten times stronger than you! He'll kick your butt!"

"What did you say, scrawny?" He laughed and kicked sand at Genis, who shook it out of his hair. "Lemme guess, you built that stupid little sandcastle, huh, twerp?"

The big guy kicked again at Genis, then laughed and stomped across their sandcastle.

"Hey!" Lloyd stood up angrily. "What'd you do that for?"

He stomped on the castle again, completely destroying it. "You freaks better stay away from my girl," he threatened before storming away.

"The fish…" Colette said, her eyes tearful.

"I can't believe he did that!" Sheena said. "What a jerk!"

"I know, right?" Zelos said.

"Shut up, Zelos, it's your fault!" Genis snapped.

"Hey, brat, she didn't tell me she had a boyfriend," the Chosen said, trying to look innocent.

"He should apologize," Presea said, glowering. "…He will apologize."

"Um, Presea? You okay?" Sheena said, as the girl walked over the shore. "What's she doing?"

No one answered. They watched her curiously as she began to dig a hole in the sand. This went on for a while, until she had it a little over five feet deep. She stood up and brushed her hands off. They watched as she walked over to where the man was sitting in the sand.

"Apologize to my friends," she told him.

"What?" He laughed. "Why should I apologize to a bunch of losers?"

"Apologize!"

"Get the hell out of here," he said, pushing her away. Genis growled.

"Hey! Don't you shove her!" He stood up, ready to face the hulking man. However, Presea got to him first.

She grabbed his ankle and yanked, dragging him across the sand. "Hey, what the hell are you doing?" He tried to get away from her, but she held fast. She pulled him to the hole she had dug and shoved him in.

"Hey, stop it!" The guy tried to climb out, but she pushed him back down and shoved a mound of sand on top of him. Zelos started laughing hysterically, while Colette frowned. "Should she really be doing that?" she asked.

"H-hey! Presea!" Genis ran over to her. "What are you going?"

Presea pushed the man's shoulders, sending him down again, and threw more sand on top. "He ruined our sandcastle. Please help." Genis stared for a second, and then started dumping sand over the man eagerly. He was swearing loudly, attracting the attention of the entire beach.

"Should we…should we stop them?" Lloyd asked half-heartedly.

"Nah, just let them go. If the big guy can't defend himself, it's his own fault." Zelos leaned back, putting his sunglasses back on.

"But…" Colette looked torn. "Maybe he really is a nice guy…"

"He sure didn't seem like it," Sheena muttered. "He ruined our sandcastle."

"…He killed our fish," she answered sadly.

It only took Presea and Genis a few minutes to bury the man in sand. Presea kept him down in the hole while Genis shoveled sand over him. By the end of it, only his head was free. "Let me go!" he howled.

"Apologize to Genis," Presea demanded.

"I-I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Now let me go!"

"…" Presea turned away, heading back to her friends. "The tide is coming in."

She and Genis walked back to where the group was staring, stunned. "Uh, Presea? Maybe you shouldn't just leave him there," Lloyd said.

"He destroyed our sandcastle." She shrugged. "He will be fine."

"That was awesome!" Zelos said, laughing. "I think he's crying!"

"Uh, guys?" Sheena said. "We're about to get kicked out."

"What?" Lloyd looked over to see a very angry looking lifeguard heading for the buried man. "Uh…"

"Oh, crap." Zelos stood up and motioned for the rest of the group to leave. "Let's hurry up, before he digs up the big guy."

They hurried to the exit and back to the hotel. They were silent until they reached their hotel room, where they all broke out laughing.

"I can't believe you did that!" Sheena gasped. "You buried that guy up to his neck!"

"He destroyed our sandcastle," Presea repeated flatly. "And did not apologize." She turned to Genis. "Thank you for helping."

"I shouldn't have," Genis said, his ears burning. "But he was such a jerk!"

"He deserved it," Zelos stated.

"Hey, it was all your fault," Lloyd said. "Maybe Presea should bury you, too."

"Whoa, now, buddy," the Chosen answered. "Let's not give her any ideas."

They all started laughing again, while the door opened and Regal stepped in.

"Good evening," he said calmly. Too calmly. "You wouldn't believe what just happened. I had a very interesting conversation with one of the lifeguards."

They were all silent for a few minutes. Then…

"It was all Zelos' fault!"

"You see, this guy was being such a jerk…"

"All I did was flirt a little! No harm done!"

"Please don't tell Raine!"

"And we built a moat, with fish in it and everything!"

"So, see, he kind of deserved it!"

"I never even touched her!"

"If anyone should get in trouble, it's Zelos."

"She'll murder us!"

"And all the fish were dead!"

"Stop." Regal said, and they all stopped. "I don't want to know what happened, or why, or how. I just wanted to let you know, you are all now banned from the beach."

They all started again.

"For how long?"

"Can we still go to the amusement park?"

"But it was Zelos' fault!"

"As long as you didn't tell Raine!"

"What? No more beach babes?"

"…" Regal sighed. "I'm…going back to work." Shaking his head, he turned back and left.

"Well, this stinks," Zelos said. "An entire section of sexy beauties, off-limits! What will I do?"

"Do you ever think of anything besides girls?" Sheena snapped.

"Food, occasionally." She slapped him and he groaned.

"Well," Lloyd said, scratching his head, "I guess there's nothing we can do about it. Maybe if we're good, Regal will let us back in."

"Until then, we can always go to the amusement park," Colette added happily. "That'll be fun."

"…I'm sorry I got us in trouble," Presea murmured. "It's my fault."

"Don't worry about it, my sweet little rosebud! It was worth it. I mean, did you see that guy's face?" Zelos mimicked the shocked face.

"No, no, it was more like this." Lloyd gave it a try.

"Ahaha!" Genis laughed. "Lloyd, you look demented!"

They all broke down into laughter again. "Wait, wait!" Sheena screwed up her own face. "How's this?"

"That's it!" Zelos shouted gleefully. "That's the face!"

Through their laughter, Lloyd asked, "So, Presea, what did you think of the beach? Thumbs up or down?"

For just a second, Presea looked hesitantly at her hand. Then, with a smile, she cautiously extended her thumb up.


	3. The First Halloween

**Siren: You thought we were going to go another holiday without an update, didn't you?**

**Muse: And you were correct, weren't you?**

**Siren: Hey, we were only two days late.**

**Muse: Three, actually, because it's almost 2 AM.**

**Siren: Shut up, Muse! And to answer your question, Neox-chan, of course we would love to steal-I MEAN, use your ideas for inspiration. Yeah.**

**Muse: That goes for anyone. Got an idea? Tell us! Don't? Tell us anyway!**

**Siren: Disclaimer!**

**(poof) Link: ...**

**Muse: Does Link actually talk?**

**Siren: Who cares? He's adorable!**

**Link: ... (poof)**

**Muse: Was...was that the disclaimer?**

**Siren: Yep. Hey! Review please! Hey! Review please!**

**Muse: Ugh...**

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"Wow, Lloyd! Your costume looks great!" Colette said enthusiastically. Lloyd grinned at her and chuckled.

"Thanks. Genis helped me make the blood." He motioned to a bowl with red stains on it. "Doesn't it look cool?"

"It's weird," Sheena said, wrapping a bandage around her arm. "I haven't trick or treated in years. In Tethe'alla, once you become a teenager, you stop going out."

"Why would you do that?" Colette put on her hat and flapped her wings. "It's really fun!"

"Um, Colette," Genis asked. "What exactly are you?"

"Oh, I'm a fairy-princess witch!" She waved her twinkling wand at him.

"I did not think that was a thing." Presea looked around. "What should I dress as?"

"Hmm, well, what do you want to be for Halloween?" Lloyd asked.

"…I do not know."

"Something scary!" Genis said.

"Oh, like you?" Zelos rolled his eyes. "Please. What are you brat, a lab rat?"  
"I'm a mad scientist!" Genis snarled, shaking his beaker. "Better than your costume, anyway. Ooh, a vampire, I'm so scared," he said sarcastically. "Not."

"I'm an incubus, not a vampire," Zelos answered huffily, pulling his cape around him. "There's a difference. I don't drink blood, I dress sexily and sneak into women's rooms."

"So, what you normally do," Sheena remarked.

Zelos smirked. "So, you think I dress sexily, do you, my dear?"

"Oh, for the love of Martel…"

"I know, Presea!" Colette said suddenly. "Why don't you go as a ghost?"

"A ghost?" She shrugged. "Perhaps. Yes, that would be good."

"Excellent!" Lloyd began rummaging around in the hotel closet. "Aha! Just what we need." He pulled out a pure white sheet and held it up.

"Lloyd, are you sure we should use that?" Genis tried to interject, but Lloyd ignored him. "It belongs to the hotel…"

"They won't mind," Lloyd said, laying the sheet out on the bed. "Can you hand me those scissors, Colette?"

Lloyd quickly cut two round holes in the sheet. "There! Let's try it on!" He threw it over Presea and adjusted it. "What do you think?"

"…I think this is a very lazy costume."

"Not lazy," Lloyd protested. "Classic. It's an old favorite."

"Hmm." Presea held up her arms from under the sheet. "Am I…scary?"

"O-of course you are, Pr-Pr-Presea," Genis insisted, his cheeks blushing. Presea turned away and looked in the mirror.

"Hey, Genis, can you put some more blood on me?" Lloyd asked, examining his own reflection. "I don't look bloody enough to be a zombie."

"Here you go!" Genis dripped some more red liquid on his friend. "Zombie-fied."

"Are we all ready to go?" Sheena asked. She quickly tied the ends of her bandages into a bow behind her. "I think I'm good."

"Oh, I need more glitter." Colette reached over Zelos and tried to pick up the jar of glitter from the shelf above him. Instead, she dropped it on his head. "Oh! Oh, no."

"Ahahaha!" Genis burst into laughter. "Who's scary now? You're a sparkly vampire!"

"Incubus!" Zelos yelled back, trying to brush off the glitter. "And it doesn't matter. I'm still super sexy, even when covered in fairy dust."

"I'm sorry, Zelos," Colette said, downcast.

"It's okay, my pretty little fairy princess." Zelos stood up and shook out his cape while Colette tried to brush it out of his hair. "Not a problem."

A few minutes later, and the group assembled in the hotel lobby, where Raine was waiting for them. "Before you go," she said sternly, "I have some rules for you."

"Oh, no," Genis groaned. Raine smacked his head. "Ow…"

"First of all," she continued. "Don't leave Palmacosta. It's too late to be wondering around in the forest." She gave Lloyd a pointed look.

"What?" he asked, putting up his hands. "I know better than that!"

"Second, I want you all home by eleven o'clock. No exceptions." This time, she glared at Genis. "Not 11:05, eleven. And don't try to say that you were on your way home at eleven. I want all of you back here, in this hotel, by eleven o'clock sharp. Understand?"

They all nodded. "Good. One last thing." She paused and took a deep breath. "No eggs or toilet paper." At this, everyone except Presea burst into giggles. "Don't you laugh! That's a horrible holiday tradition that needs to be stopped."

"Okay, okay, Professor," Lloyd said, catching his breath. "No eggs, promise."

"Or toilet paper," Genis confirmed.

"Good. Regal, anything else to add?" she asked, turning to the man.

He looked up from his book. "Have fun."

"Oh. Yes, have fun, too." She narrowed her eyes. "Got that?"

"Yes, ma'am," they all said.

At that, the group of six trooped outside. There were already children and teenagers milling around in costumes, laughing. Zelos raised his eyebrows at a pair of girls who walked by wearing shiny, skimpy outfits. "Oh, I forgot how much I liked this holiday.

"Cut it out," Sheena snapped.

"Jealous?" Zelos asked. "Why, of course, you'll always be my number one hunny, mummy." She stepped on his foot and he yelped. "Geez. Rather violent for a dried out body, aren't you?"

"It's a curse," she said dryly.

Presea looked around. "What exactly do we do?"

"You just go up to someone's house and say, 'trick or treat!' It's that easy." Lloyd ran up to a house, while everyone else followed him.

An old woman at the house smiled down on them. "Trick or treat!" Lloyd, Genis, and Colette shouted in unison.

"Oh, what wonderful costumes!" she said. "Here you are." She handed them each a piece of candy, which they dropped in their bags.

"Why, hello," Zelos said, smiling. "I guess I'll just take a trick, since seeing you is such a treat already."

"What a charming young man," the woman said, handing him candy.

"You're such a lecherous creep," Sheena mumbled under her breath as Zelos passed her. "Trick or treat!" she said to the woman.

"And a mummy!" she exclaimed, handing a piece of candy to Sheena. "Such good costumes this year."

"Trick…or treat?" Presea said.

"And a cute little ghost!"

"Ghosts are not supposed to be cute," Presea said. "They are dangerous and scary."

"Haha, come on, Presea!" Sheena pulled the little girl away from the woman, who looked a little confused. "Thank you!"

As they moved onto the next house, Presea picked out her piece of candy and examined it. "Do you…eat it?"

"Of course!" Lloyd unwrapped his, a chocolate pumpkin. "It's candy, and it's delicious."

"Oh." Presea carefully unwrapped her own candy, a cat-shaped chocolate. "It's good," she said as she chewed it.

"Hey, look at this!" Genis said, pointing at a poster on the wall. "There's a haunted house."

"Really?" Lloyd leaned next to his friend and examined the poster. "Hey, that's great! I love haunted houses!"

"Aw, yeah," Zelos said triumphantly. "Haunted houses are the best place to get close to girls you know."

"You're such a pervert!" Sheena huffed.

"Why would we go to a house with enemies in it?" Presea questioned, lifting her sheet to talk.

"Ah, that's right," Lloyd said. "You've probably never celebrated Halloween before, have you?"

"No. Ozette did not have this holiday."

"Well, it's a good thing you came out with us, then! Another part of the quest." Lloyd rubbed his face. "Well, a haunted house isn't really haunted. They're just actors, pretending to be ghost and ghouls and stuff."

"Why?" she asked.

"To scare people," Lloyd answered. "It's fun, you'll see."

They continued through the town, stopping at houses along the way and collecting candy. Lloyd traded Genis a chocolate bar for some lemon candies, while Zelos dropped four boxes of raisins and an apple into Sheena's stash of candy. Their bags were completely full by the time they crossed the bridge to the town square.

"Look," Genis said. "They turned the Palmacosta Academy into the haunted house!"

"It looks really cool," Zelos remarked. "They did a good job. Not as good as Meltokio's infamous House of Horrors, though."

"It's not the outside that matters," Lloyd said. "The inside is the important part."

"Very true," Sheena said.

They all huddled together in a group to keep warm while waiting to go inside. "Now remember, sweethearts," Zelos said as they approached the door. "If any of you feel frightened, just grab onto me. I'll keep you safe, wrapped in my arms."

"Your arms aren't a safe place."

Zelos groaned. "Presseaaa! So mean."

"She's only telling the truth," Sheena said. "I'd feel safer with real vampires than you."

"Incubus! I'm an incubus!"

"Yeah, a shiny one," Genis snickered.

"Shut it, brat."

"Ooh, I can't wait," Colette said, bouncing excitedly as they reached the door. "Haunted houses are so much fun! You'll love it, Presea." A skeleton waved for them to step inside and, one by one, they disappeared into the darkness.

They were inside for five minutes.

There was a sudden, shrill scream, the sound of something heavy swinging through the air, and a loud yelp, followed the by the unmistakable thudding of six people running as fast as they could out of the haunted house.

"Go, go, go, go, go, go!" Lloyd was dragging Presea by her wrist, while the rest of the group followed. Behind them was the skeleton, who was screaming at them. They didn't stop until they were well outside the city limits, deep in the forest.

"Geez…" Zelos collapsed on the ground, panting.

"Well, that's two places we can never return to again," Sheena remarked.

"I'm sorry. I do not like clowns." Presea gripped her axe tighter. "It…scared me."

"Yeah, but attacking him, Presea…" Lloyd was doubled over, catching his breath. "Well, I guess you couldn't help your knee-jerk reaction."

"I'm just glad she hit him with the backside of the axe," Genis said. "At least he only has a concussion. She could've chopped his head off!"

"I don't think I like haunted houses," Presea said. "Too many clowns."

Genis looked up. "Raine told us not to leave the city. We're going to be in so much trouble."

"Chill out, brat," Zelos muttered. "Your sister will never know. We'll just head back to Palmacosta, go back to the hotel, and act like nothing happened."

"She'll find out," Genis answered. "She always finds out."

"Well, we better get back to town, at any rate." Sheena looked around. "…If we can find it, that is."

"Hmm…Lloyd, do you know the way back?" Colette asked the swordsman.

"Me? Why would I know?"

"Well, you did live in the middle of the forest," Zelos remarked.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I know every forest in Sylvarant!" Lloyd sighed. "I think it's…that way." He pointed to a small path between some trees. "Yeah, that's definitely the way we came. Let's go."

As the group walked through, Colette said, "It's really creepy at night, isn't it?"

"I know what you mean," Sheena said. "We've walked through these woods a thousand times, but it's still weird in the dark."

"You know," Zelos said with a smirk, "this reminds me of a story-"

"Wait a minute," Genis said. "This isn't going to be like that stupid ghost story you told me and Lloyd, is it?"

"Of course not," the Chosen answered. "Besides, this one is true."

"Oh, really?" Sheena said, rolling her eyes.

"Yes, really. And in a forest veeery similar to this very one."

"What woods?" Colette asked. Zelos frowned.

"Uh, what do you mean, my sweet?"

She blinked. "If it was Tethe'alla, I bet we've been there."

"Well, um…" Zelos fidgeted. "I-it was many years ago, and the forest has since burned down."

"Ha!" Genis snorted. "True story, my foot."

"Anyway! It was a full moon-"

"Is this a werewolf story?" Lloyd interrupted. "Cause I hate werewolves."

"Aw, but they're so cute!"

"No," Zelos said through gritted teeth. "Let me finish." He cleared his throat and opened his mouth again, but Genis suddenly said, "Wait! Do you hear that?"

They all stopped. "I don't hear anything, Genis," Colette finally said.

"I know," Genis said, grinning. Zelos smacked him. "Ouch! Don't hit me!"

"I was telling a story, you little brat," the redhead said. "So, it was a full moon, at midnight, and there was a terrible storm raging. Three siblings were on their way home, when they got lost in the woods."

"What were their names?" Presea asked curiously.

"It doesn't matter. Now, these three-"

"But they have to have names," Colette chimed in.

"Fine. Their names were…Blinky, Pinky, and…Inky, okay?"

"Blinky? Who names their kid Blinky?" Sheena scoffed.

"Just let me finish the story! Geez!" Zelos sighed. "So. The three siblings-"

"Blinky, Pinky, and Inky," Lloyd said.

"-were lost in the woods. They stumbled upon an old, abandoned mansion and decided to wait out the storm inside."

"Aren't you the one always blabbering on about clichés?" Genis muttered.

"Shut it," Zelos snarled. "When they reached the porch, the door opened by itself. The oldest kid-"

"Which one is that?" Presea questioned. "Blinky, Pinky, or Inky?"

"Blinky. It was Blinky. He turns to his brothers-"

"Hang on!" Sheena said. "Why are they all guys? Where are the girls in this scenario?"

"Yeah," Lloyd said. "And who names their son Pinky?"

"First of all, Lloyd, pink is a very manly color. Any man should be proud to be named after such a masculine color," Zelos answered. "But whatever, Pinky's a girl. So Blinky turns to his brother and sister and tells them not to be scared. They went inside and called out, but no one answered, so they shut the door against the storm. They go inside the house and they hear this knocking sound."

"It's the curse of the haunted doorknocker, ooh!" Genis teased.

"Did I not tell you to shut it? They looked around, trying to find the source of the knocking. As they reach the attic, they find a big ol' puddle of blood on the floor. Blinky goes up and sees that it's still fresh. He looks at the walls, and sees blood dripping down them. Thoroughly freaked out, he turns around and sees that the door to the attic has shut and locked behind them. Suddenly, they hear a voice calling their names."

"Blliiiinnnkkkyyy…" Sheena mocked. "Bllliiiinnnnkkkyyy, whaaaat a stttuuupppiddd naaame..."

"Hey, I didn't name them," Zelos insisted. "Take it up with their parents."

"I like their names," Colette said happily.

"They turn back around to the voice, and see a bloody ghost, tied up with chains, with his eyes gouged out and dripping blood from his sockets. He opens his mouth and-"

"Oh! What's the ghost's name?" Colette asked. Zelos hung his head.

"I…I have no idea."

"I like Clyde!"

"Okay," Zelos continued. "Clyde it is. Clyde opens his mouth. He says," Zelos' voice became high-pitched, "'Lonely…So Lonely…' And Blinky asks why he's lonely. Clyde says that his young wife stabbed him with a butcher's knife and stole all his money."

"Butcher's knives are not conducive to stabbing," Presea commented.

"Okay, fine, it was sword!" Zelos threw up his hands. "Jeez, I'm never telling you guys a scary story again. Blinky says, 'That's horrible. I'm so sorry. Please let us go.' Clyde just laughs and says, 'I guess I won't be lonely anymore. I'll have you three to keep me company…Forever!'"

Zelos nodded solemnly. "And they were never seen or heard from again. They say that Blinky, Inky, Pinky, and Clyde all haunt that very mansion to this day, searching for travelers to keep them company."

There was silence, before Sheena said, "Worst. Story. Ever."

"I wasn't very afraid," Presea told him.

"Oh, yeah?" Zelos folded his arms. "You'd be scared if they had been clowns. Or…ghost clowns. Or whatever."

"I thought your story was great, Zelos," Colette said.

"Yeah, I was...scared…kind of," Lloyd said.

"Not to change the subject, Lloyd," Sheena said, "But shouldn't we be back at Palmacosta by now?"

"I think we're almost there."

"I think we went the wrong way," Zelos said.

"I'm with Zelos on this one," Sheena insisted. "Maybe we should turn around."

"It'll be fine," Lloyd assured them, although he didn't sound very confident. They all froze as a twig snapped.

"What was that?" Sheena asked, eyes narrowed.

"Probably just a wild animal," Zelos said uncertainly. There was another snap and he laughed nervously.

"Maybe…" Genis looked around fearfully. "M-maybe it's only a monster. A weak one."

"I'm sure it's nothing." Colette jumped a little when another twig snapped, this one closer. "Eep!"

"Don't worry, you guys, it's probably just-"

A sharp voice suddenly rang through the darkness. "Lloyd?"

"Ahhhh!" Lloyd brandished his sword wildly in front of him, while the rest of the group shrieked in terror. "It's Clyde! Run away, you guys!"

"Ahhh!" Colette turned to flee, but tripped and fell over a tree root.

"Who the hell is Clyde?" A figure stepped out of the darkness. "And stopping swinging those things. You're going to kill someone; namely, me."

"Oh, Yuan." Sheena gave a sigh of relief. "It's just you."

"What are you doing hanging around in the woods like that?" Lloyd panted, while Zelos helped Colette to her feet.

"Nothing important," Yuan answered. "I should ask you all the same question."

"Oh, cryptic, are we?" Zelos said suspiciously. "Doing secret Renegade things, are you?"

"We're trick or treating," Colette said, smiling.

"…In the middle of the woods?" Yuan raised an eyebrow.

"Well, we kind of…got lost. Do you know the way to Palmacosta?" Lloyd asked.

"Yeah, it's back that way." He pointed directly behind him.

"Lloyd, you lunkhead," Genis said. "I knew we were going the wrong way!"

"Hey, don't blame me. I told you I wasn't sure." Lloyd turned to Yuan, scratching the back of his head. "So, um…can you maybe…show us the way back?"

Yuan stared at him for a moment, then sighed. "I suppose letting you die out here isn't in my best interests." With that, he strode past them and led them back the way they came.

"Thanks, Yuan!" Lloyd said, jogging up to the older man's side. "And, um, sorry about attacking you earlier."

"Do it again, and I'll counter," he threatened.

It took them much less time to get back to Palmacosta now that Yuan was leading them. The town entrance was in sight in ten minutes.

"There you are. Palmacosta. Now go away." Yuan turned to go back to the forest, but Genis stopped him.

"Wait! Um, you don't happen to have the time, do you?"

Yuan pulled out a pocketwatch. "It's…ten to midnight. Too late for me to be escorting obnoxious, ridiculously dressed teenagers through the forest. Goodnight."

They waited until Yuan had disappeared into the darkness. Zelos snorted. "What crawled up his butt and bit him? Stick in the mud…"

"Oh!" Colette snapped her head up. "He said he heard that. And that you'll pay for saying it."

"Aw, geez…" Zelos sighed. "Come on. Let's get back to the hotel before Raine sends out a search party for us."

As it turned out, they didn't have to go that far. Raine was waiting for them as they entered the city. She grabbed Lloyd's ear and practically dragged him back the hotel lobby.

"I gave you three rules." Raine's glare swept over them all as they tried to avoid eye contact. "Three. And you managed to break two of them. It is almost midnight. You were lost in the woods. You could've died out there, and Regal and I would have no way of finding you!"

"Please leave me out of this," Regal said from where he was sitting.

"I can't believe this! None of you are allowed out of your rooms for the rest of the night!" She turned around in huff and disappeared into her room.

"Uh-oh," Genis said. "She's really mad."

"Come on, let's go back." Lloyd stood up with a sigh. "Man, she even took our candy…"

Once they were back in their rooms, Presea said, "I'm not sure how I feel about this…Halloween. It's a very strange holiday."

"Hey, guys," Zelos said, inspiration striking. "You know, Presea hasn't experienced _all_ of the fun of Halloween."

Lloyd's eyes lit up. "That's right. There's still an important part of Halloween we haven't done yet."

Sheena caught on as well. "Yeah…Presea, we don't want you to have a bad opinion of Halloween…"

"Well," Genis said cheerily. "We're already two for three. Might as well go all the way."

"Oh, boy!" Colette said. "This was always my favorite part of Halloween! I'll be right back!" She and Lloyd both disappeared.

"What are we doing now?" Presea asked wearily.

"You'll see, my darling ghost," Zelos said. "You'll see."

Lloyd and Colette came back in. Both of them triumphantly held up their treasures: Lloyd had six rolls of toilet paper, while Colette had a dozen eggs.

"This," Genis said, gesturing to the pair, "is what Halloween is all about."

"Eggs and bathroom tissue?" The girl turned her head to the side. "I don't understand."

Lloyd grinned at her mischievously. "You're going to learn about the true spirit of Halloween."

* * *

**Siren: I think we should tell you where this chapter came from.**

**(_flashback_)**

**_Siren: Muse, quit playing on your phone! We need to think of a Halloween fic._  
**

**_Muse: Just...one more...yes! Got it!_**

**_Siren: What are you even playing?_**

**_Muse: The free Pacman Demo on my phone._**

**_Siren: That's it! Quick, tell me the premise of Pacman in one sentence._**

**_Muse: Um...What appears to be a floating pie chart, or half-eaten pie, is chased around by colorful ghosts?_**

**_Siren: Eureka!_**

**_(real life)_  
**

**Siren: Okay, so I didn't really say eureka. But I did think it loudly.**

**Muse: What exactly is Pacman? Is he...a deformed circle? Pie? Pie chart? Pi? A disembodied head?**


End file.
